


Prickly

by Severina



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Community: tv-universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 14:56:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3385976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severina/pseuds/Severina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Been sayin' you're thirsty for the last two miles," Daryl bit out. "Sayin' it ain't gonna make water miraculously appear in front of us, y'know."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prickly

**Author's Note:**

> Post "Alone", Beth was never kidnapped la la la. Fic 03 of 03 written for tv_universe's 3TP relationship challenge on LJ, for the prompt 'romance'
> 
> * * *

"So thirsty," Beth said.

"Been sayin' you're thirsty for the last two miles," Daryl bit out. "Sayin' it ain't gonna make water miraculously appear in front of us, y'know."

"I know."

Daryl could barely hear her timid little voice behind him. He kicked angrily at the ground as he plodded on, mentally cursed himself for snapping at her. Ain't like she wasn't just saying exactly what he was thinking. His lips were so dry there were sticking together in the heat, and if they didn't find water before nightfall they were going to be in serious trouble.

He paused when the trees start thinning out, waited for Beth to catch up. "You know," she said when she reached him, "I read once that you can cut open a cactus and drink the water inside. If you're stuck in a desert, I mean."

At least she ain't holding a grudge. Course, she never does no matter how surly he gets.

"Sure, if you wanna poison yourself," Daryl said. "Drink cactus water and you'll be shittin' your pants for a week."

"Pleasant imagery," Beth said, screwing up her nose. "And here I thought all the prickly things I knew of had a soft gooey center, all ready to be lapped right up."

Daryl shifted beside her, scrubbed his hand over his scruff and studied the valley below so he could avoid looking straight at her. His peripheral vision was enough to show him that she was standing with her hands on her hips, her head cocked and that cute little smile playing over her lips. "I ain't prickly," he finally said.

"No?"

He darted a glance to the side in time to see her smile get wider. "No," he said. "Hell, I'm practically a ray of sunshine."

She smacked him on the chest with the back of her hand, then ducked beneath his arm to press her palm over his chest. "That's too bad," she said, looking up at him from beneath long lashes. "I like prickly."

Daryl grunted, but leaned down to press his lips to hers. When her hand came up to curl into the hair at the nape of his neck he grunted for an entirely different reason, swiped his tongue against her lower lip until she opened for him. It was all still new enough that his heart pounded when her tongue swept into his mouth, his knees a little weak as he stumbled to press his back against the nearest tree and pull her flush against him. By the time they parted he was panting, and she was grinning at him.

"Prickly," she announced, her eyes sparkling. "But with a soft gooey centre."

"Yeah, all right Greene," he groused. "Made your damn point."

He took her hand to lead her through the thick wet leaves underfoot, held on and twined her fingers with his when they reached level ground. Things didn't seem so bad, long as he held onto her.

"I'm still thirsty," Beth said.

Daryl groaned.


End file.
